My latest 'Retro' - Now with new boots!

Haven't been on for some time (mixture of playing with modern cars - again and just working absolutely relentlessly). Anyway, last time I was on I had just bought a 1984 'B' Mercedes 190E 2.0 Auto. Its changed a little bit since I bought it and it currently looks like this:

Currently I am in the process of saving up a bit of cash to get it into a bodyshop - those horrible chrome arches are unfortunately hiding rust, however I am looking to obtain two good wings and have already bought replacement rear sections.

The Mercedes continues to be used as my second car, however this week I decided to replace my modern daily with something a bit older. I regularly frequent the 'Retro Rides' forum and saw this for sale on their and just had to have it, especially with it being quite local.

Its fantastic having an old 80's car as a daily and to my mind is the perfect example of a car that can be run on a shoestring budget but remain well maintained. Best of all, I can do all the work myself with no complicated electrics!

The car is a 1987 'D' reg, 122k miles, MOT, Tax, Full Service History etc

Only plans are to replace the steels for some 15" BBS style cross spokes (standard BMW items) to just smarten the exterior a little bit but that is about it. I need to try and obtain a replacement drivers seat also as it is unfortunately suffering wear which is very common in my experience. Shame really as the interior is immaculate and despite the period 80's cassette player not working, it remains there (just for show) and there is a modern CD player wired into the glovebox. Previous owner did this to maintain the originality of the interior.

The car (touch wood) doesn't need anything mechanical doing to it. Starts first turn of the key and drives extremely well, MOT'd until the end of the year and taxed until May. I bought it on Monday evening and have been using it for my daily commute and general running about, its done about 250 miles this week so far

The bodywork is absolutely immaculate, common rot areas are fantastic (i.e. arches, door bottoms etc) so need to make sure I keep on top of it (recent snow up here and all the salt on the road means I'm going to give the underside a good blast off with the jet wash today). My aim it to keep this on the road as my daily for at least the next 3 years (which in turn means I need to keep it in this condition to get a good return when I come to sell it!!).

Price wise, it was advertised at £1250, In the end I paid a shade over £900 notes with half a tank of petrol.

Good score!I've had two E30's in succession, both 318i's, one a coupe and one a touring. That doesn't sound particularly impressive, but between them they were my daily drivers for 17 years and covered over 350,000 miles. I p/x'd both of them still MOT'd and taxed for the next car (the coupe was actually p/x'd for the touring). The touring was at 225,000 miles when it left my hands and never let me down once in all the time I had it (from 33K miles). I've a lot of fondness for these cars!

Ive always loved the E21 but prices for those are getting silly now and in a way the E30 was the last of the line of Proper classic looking 3 series.

I have to admit now that I have a list in my head of my ideal 3 car Bangernomic garage and the E30 is in there

Your car is beautiful you just need to find the proverbial needle in a haystack and find a passenger seat in the same trim to steal the upholstery for your drivers seat no use looking for a drivers seat as they will all have similar wear

They will help to keep the car looking original but will improve the looks no end I'm sure. A slight deviation from Bangernomics at this point as it isn't a necessity to replace the existing wheels which have decent tyres, but more of something I just want to do

They will help to keep the car looking original but will improve the looks no end I'm sure. A slight deviation from Bangernomics at this point as it isn't a necessity to replace the existing wheels which have decent tyres, but more of something I just want to do

These look great and I have to say that just because its a Banger doesn't mean it can't be your pride and joy and looked after .

I think you can say they do follow the Bangernomics principle. They would undoubtedly have resale value if they were not kept. Plus if you look at the value of the wheels over the miles used I bet they would be small fractions of a penny.

And as Wrench has already said we are allowed to enjoy our low cost / high return motoring